Every year we aim to get our beer in a new state/territory, and 2012 was no different. At the beginning of January 2012 our beer arrived in New Jersey. Here is a video that documents Tomme, Matt, and Ryan’s three day trip to New Jersey to attend some events and effectively launch our beer in a new state.
Reader Poll: To Hop 15 or Not To Hop 15?
We have a quandary of sorts.
As you may know, we’re supposed to brew and release our epic double IPA, Hop 15, a couple of times a year — August and February. Well it’s almost February now, but we’re doing so well with our other double IPA, Mongo, that’s it a little difficult to justify tying up major tank time to brew a batch of an IPA that is, uhhh… let’s just say not for the faint of tongue. So there’s some back and forth going on behind the scenes as to what we should do.
Some of the crew says “Mongo be damned, we need to brew a big, fat batch of Hop 15 and get that hop monster out to our customers far and wide.” Another faction says “we can’t go without Mongo, let’s skip Hop 15 this time and maybe we’ll brew it in the summer.”
And then there’s a third, middle of the road group, that thinks brewing a smaller batch and sending it into limited (read: no bottles and who knows who will get it) distribution is the best solution.
Needless to say, we’re kind of at an impasse. So we’re kicking it to you, the consumer and asking what you think. Should we go whole-hop, half-hop or skip it altogether? Vote in the poll below and let us know.
Hop 15 or Not? — You decide
[poll id=”2″]
Box Set Track 1 Releases This Saturday
This Saturday, January 21, 2012 will mark the release of the first track in our ultimate Box Set, kicking off a year-long series of super-limited beer releases inspired by those great anthem rock tunes of our youth. (Feel free to wave your lighters in the air… for you younger kids that’s what we waved at the concert before cell phones with big screens.)
Because the Box Set beers are so limited, the release process will be different than the usual, so we’ve posted everything you need to know on the Box Set page here.
On the same page you’ll also find details on Track 1, (aka Runnin’ With the Devil), which is one of the “Fresh Tracks“. It’s aged in wine barrels and spiked with Cab Sauvignon grapes and our own Brett cultures. Definitely a devilish brew…
Side note: because of some labeling “issues” with Track 1 (we’ll let you guess what they were), this release has a special label that will appear only on this version of the brew. The Full Box Set release of Track 1 will have a different label in line with the others.
And The Winner Is… Sunburned Monk
Central Californian wins The Lost Abbey’s first Commercial Conclave competition with story of surfing Good Samaritan
SAN MARCOS, Calif. — Congratulations to Mario Gutierrez of Selma, California. His concept for a 30 second commercial titled “Sunburned Monk” was named the winner in The Lost Abbey’s first Commercial Conclave Competition.
The contest, which ran throughout the month of December, asked fans to submit their ideas for a 30 second to one minute commercial advertising Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey beers. The best concept, as determined by a panel of Port Brewing employees, will be produced as a broadcast commercial for the brewery with the winner on set with the cast and crew for the filming.
“We were really surprised at how many people submitted ideas, including full scripts and even some videos,” said Ryan Tillotson, The Lost Abbey’s multimedia supervisor and director for the upcoming shoot. “There were a lot of great submissions, but a few really stood out from the others,” he said.
Gutierrez’ concept, “Sunburned Monk”, a story of a beach-going monk who helps a surfer, was chosen for the “clever way it captured both the Port Brewing and Lost Abbey brands without a single word being spoken,” Tillotson said.
As grand prize winner, Gutierrez will receive an all expenses paid trip to San Diego, VIP treatment at the brewery, and go on set to assist in the filming of the commercial.
Production is scheduled to begin in February with the commercial premiering some time in late March or early April.
Two other winners were also named in the Conclave Competition. First runner up went to Simon Ford of San Pedro, California for his concept “Perfect Session”, in which the day of a Port Brewing brewer parallels a surfer’s perfect session on the water. Second runner up went to Dave A. Keenan (location unknown) for his submission, “Runaway Monk”, which details the “real” source of The Lost Abbey’s beers.
Both winners will have their concepts developed into commercial shorts later in the year.